


Bro Talk

by poifan_588



Series: The Stakes [1]
Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Study, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-04
Updated: 2015-08-04
Packaged: 2018-04-12 22:41:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4497486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poifan_588/pseuds/poifan_588
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What exactly makes you think that she likes me?"<br/>"You mean, other than the obvious?"<br/>"Yes, she’s as subtle as a jack hammer. Do you see more than just flirting though?"<br/>"Well she does follow you around like a puppy whenever you two are in a room together. A big, creepy, murderous puppy."</p>
<p>Reese and Shaw discuss Root while out on a stakeout, taking place between 4x06 (Pretenders) and 4x07 (Honor Among Thieves).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bro Talk

**Author's Note:**

> Recommendation: Read the Reese parts in his Batman voice.

"So what's going on between you and Root?"  
Shaw glanced at Reese, who was sitting in the passenger seat and looking at her expectantly. They were parked in the dark, waiting for a number to show up.  
"Nothing's going on," she responded.  
"That nothing looks like something."  
"It's complicated."  
Reese shot her a look.  
"If you want the short version, Root likes to annoy me, and I try not to pay any attention. That's it in a nutshell."

Reese did not seem convinced. "Hmm. I think she really likes you."  
"Root batting her eyelashes at me doesn't really mean anything." Shaw didn't sound too certain.  
"If it did, would you do anything about it?"  
Shaw took a moment to think it over. "Honestly, Reese, I don't know. But we're fighting a war on multiple fronts here--there's no room for any romance."  
Reese raised his eyebrows. "Romance? I thought you didn't do relationships?"  
"Well I've tried it before, it didn't work out. I'm just not wired for that stuff."  
"What happened?"  
"I was young, thought I'd give it a go, but she wanted normal and I couldn't give it to her."  
"Know the feeling." The conversation paused as both of them got momentarily lost in their thoughts. 

Reese spoke up again. "For what it's worth, Root is anything but normal."  
"I know. But hypothetically speaking, if we were a thing, which will never happen by the way, but if we were, we'll leave a trail of destruction like you with an agenda and a grenade launcher."  
"More like your face at a barbecue joint."  
A death glare emanated from Shaw.  
Reese ignored it. "Sounds like you've given some thought into this though."  
"I need something to do during stakeouts. Speaking of, got anything to eat?"  
Reese grunted in response, and handed Shaw an energy bar.

Shaw glanced out the window, and spoke up while chewing.  
"What do you think about Root?"  
"I may not be the best person to ask."  
"Between you, Finch and Fusco, I think you're my best option."  
"She did kidnap Finch. Twice."  
"Well the second time was technically blackmail, not kidnapping."  
Reese gave her the side-eye.  
"Well I'm not defending her actions, but she did change a lot since then. And she's saved our asses enough times."  
"She'd kidnapped you, too."  
"I did shoot her."  
"So does that mean you two are square?"  
"I'm not even sure what that means, in our line of work. But basically when it comes down to it, she's useful. She's got that thing with the Machine, and the Machine's never been wrong. I, we could count on her when it comes down to the mission."  
"I've never fully trusted the Machine either."  
"But you trust Finch, right? He's come around. For the most part, anyway."  
"Given his relationship with the Machine, I think it's unavoidable. Doesn't mean I'm comfortable with that."

Shaw finished the energy bar, and tucked the empty wrapper into her jean pocket.  
"Don't you think she’s changed, though?"  
"She does seem to like you, like you. Didn't see that coming."  
"What exactly makes you think that she likes me?"  
"You mean, other than the obvious?"  
"Yes, she’s as subtle as a jack hammer. Do you see more than just flirting though?"  
"Well she does follow you around like a puppy whenever you two are in a room together. A big, creepy, murderous puppy."  
"Don't you think she's just trying to annoy me?"  
"Well let me ask you this. If you personally ask her for something, do you think she'd ever say 'no'?"  
Shaw thought for a second. "Well I'd never ask her for anything."  
"But if you did, don't you think she'll go out of her way to give you what you want?"  
Shaw furrowed her eyebrows. "Hmmm." 

“Seems that you’re quite interested in the subject.”  
Shaw scoffed. “Oh please.”  
"You deny it, but I've seen the way you look at her."  
"And what way is that?" Shaw said indignantly.  
Reese raised his eyebrows.  
"Okay well I admit that I kind of look toward her general direction now and then, but I've never said she wasn't hot."  
Reese shot her a sarcastic look. "Is that all?"  
"Yeah can't a girl just look, once in a while? She’s just, like, there all the time. Let's say, Zoe is just hanging out in the subway. Wouldn't you look once or twice?"  
"The difference is, Zoe and I, we’ve been sleeping together." John then glanced at Shaw, his eyebrows raised quizzically. "Is there a difference...?"  
"NOOOO. I mean, YES." Shaw looked disgusted with herself for a moment, then she slightly cocked her head.

"But I do wonder though. Hypothetically. The Machine can hear Root when she’s speaking, right? So the Machine must be able to hear everything that she’s doing...?"  
"Or someone?"  
It took Shaw a moment to get it, but she then shot Reese the darkest, withering-est glare. He flinched a little.  
"Reese, you need to drag your mind out of that dirty, filthy gutter or neither of us are going to get out of this car alive. I'm just saying, do you think Root could turn it off, the microphone to the Machine?"  
"I can't help you there, Shaw. Why don't you ask Root?"  
"I don't want her to get any ideas."  
"So if it's always listening to everything, would it bother you?"  
"...it's a bit creepy, no?"  
"Root is creepy."  
"Well, for what it's worth, the Machine's probably heard me doing worse things. As long as other people can't access the data I guess it doesn’t matter to me. But it'll be like having a constant third party in a relationship, you know? I mean hypothetically speaking."  
"I know a little bit about that."  
"I mean like an adult sleepover type of a relationship."  
"Depends on how private you are."  
"Well I'm private, but I'm not Finch private. Besides, I'm mostly concerned about my privacy for the sake of my job and our mission. But what if the Machine directs her to do stuff for the relationship? What if it takes an interest in Root's love life?"  
"How do you know it hasn't already?"  
Shaw wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Ugh, that goddamn computer can suck my dick, for all I care."  
"Would it matter to you if the Machine had a say in your relationship?"  
"A hypothetical relationship. Yeah it would matter, it'd be like having a three way with a robot."  
"The way things are going in the world, you would be ahead of the curve."  
Shaw smirked. “But why would it barge in on Root's love life?"  
"Is the Machine capable of love?"  
"Whoa, who said anything about love with the capital 'L'? Are you saying that the Machine might be in love with me?"  
"Not you specifically."  
"Are you now saying that the Machine would not fall for me? 'Cause, if a machine would fall in love with a human being, I can see that happening if that person was me. 'Cause I'm pretty hot. I mean look at me."  
"I'm looking at you, Shaw." Reese looked down at the crumbs on her shirt, left over from the energy bar.  
Shaw followed his gaze, and picked up the crumbs with her thumb and forefinger and tossed them out the window. "Yeah well the Machine would be missing out if it doesn't want a piece of this action."  
Shaw turned back toward Reese, as though she realised something.  
"The way Root’s been all over me though…” Shaw traced back her memories. “There was…something between me and Root even before the Machine came into the picture. I think all that lewd and perky, it’s all Root."  
Reese responded, thoughtfully. "Finch said that he taught the Machine to treat everyone with equal value, so I don't think the Machine would value you over others. Root would, though."  
Shaw grunted in response, and delved into her own thoughts. 

"The way I see it, it's really up to you. It's you who would dictate the terms of your...whatever is going on between you two."  
"I'm just not sure. I like to keep my options open, you know?"  
"Who says you two would need to be exclusive?"  
"Yeah I don't know. She does seem a bit like the jealous type—as in, she would set fire to your house, your car, your boat, your parent's house, your dog, well, probably not the dog, but you know, that level of uh, intensity."  
"I can see that."

Shaw lowered her voice to a more serious tone. "But when it comes down to it, she’s always accepted me the way I am." She looked at Reese. "I'm just not sure I can give her what she needs."  
"Never know until you try, Shaw." Pain crept into Reese's eyes as his thoughts traveled elsewhere.  
Shaw awkwardly looked down at her hands. "One minute you act like she's going to kill us all, and the next, you're basically telling me I should make out with her or something." Shaw glanced at him sideways. "Make up your mind, Reese."  
"Back at you, Shaw."  
Shaw smiled, amused. "For a guy who can kill someone with just your pinkie, you're a sap, you know that?"

Reese just shrugged.

**Author's Note:**

> Postscript:
> 
> If Shaw had known about Iris at this point, she would have let Reese have it. "Reese, I love you bro, but she's like half your age. I am disappointed in you, guy. Get it together."


End file.
